The Medieval Castle

Nardo, Don. The Medieval Castle. 1998. 96p. ISBN 978-1-56006-430-7. Available at 940.1 NAR on the library shelves.

Castles are known as some of the most romantic settings in the western world. But how did they come about? The medieval castle was the strongest symbol of a feudal system that depended on lords, knights, but also peasants. Build to resist attacks and to provide a base of operations from which armies could maneuver, castles were the very symbol of power.

From humble beginnings as wooden palissades built around hills with a central tower erected in the middle, engineers realized it would be better to use stone. And over the centuries that followed castles expanded to fulfil a variety of functions, but the projection of power remained their central roles.

The advent of the cannon and of the musket changed the value of the castle. A structure that could take months to be captured following a violent and lengthy siege was now breachable in only a few hours. Though its value as a center of military power was gone, castles continued to serve as a display of political prestige. Even today, castles fascinate and remain ingrained in our collective imagination.